


How should I react?

by who_seeks_shall_find



Series: Life as I see it [43]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: F/M, Family Feels, Fluff and Angst, Hugs, Hurt, Love, Minor Injuries, Reaction, Tears, Worry, post-season 6
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-17
Updated: 2018-07-17
Packaged: 2019-06-08 10:59:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15241905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/who_seeks_shall_find/pseuds/who_seeks_shall_find
Summary: Felicity and Oliver aren't sure how to react after William's irresponsible choice. There isn't exactly a guide book for the situation.





	How should I react?

**Author's Note:**

> This is a part of a series about Oliver's imprisonment and a year after it. This drabble takes place after 270 days of Oliver's release from prison.
> 
> The series will be updated once a day (if it's just possible). It's going to include 122 drabbles about Oliver, Felicity, William and other characters who are involved in their lives. It's going to take approximately four months to finish the series. The drabbles are linked to each other but they're NOT in a CHRONOLOGICAL order. That's why, there may also be gaps or blanks which are filled in later.
> 
> I wish that every character is respected without unnecessary hatred.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Felicity walks towards William’s room. It’s very late but she couldn’t let this go. William had been extremely irresponsible when he had engaged a physical fight tonight. No matter how noble his purpose was. Felicity was still shaken when she just thought what could have happened. 

Felicity shivered. She wasn’t sure how to handle these feels. Being worried about William was different from being worried about Oliver. Of course, she was always worried about both of them but with William it was even more primal. The need to keep him safe was a raw and pure feeling. She reached William’s door and knocked it softly although it was slightly open. 

Felicity heard William’s muffled voice: “Come on in.”

Felicity opened the door and she saw how William was right in front of the mirror. He had lifted his hoodie and he was looking at the bruise on his side. Felicity felt physically sick when she saw it. It was a miracle that no ribs were broken. 

“How are you feeling? Your ribs must be sore and the bump in your head is definitely painful,” she reasoned as she stepped inside and closed the door behind her. 

William answered quickly as he dropped the hem of his hoodie: “I’m fine.”

Felicity rolled her eyes at his answer. She really hated when Oliver and William downplayed their pain or feelings. She was going to be in trouble if William started brooding like Oliver, too.

“You are more like your dad than you even realize,” Felicity mumbled and William threw her a questioning look like he didn’t understand what she meant.

Felicity waved her hand dismissively and continued: “You should know that your dad and I are going to talk about your punishment. You just can’t run to the night without letting us know. You can’t endanger your own life like you did tonight. If something had happened to you, we wouldn’t have…”

Felicity couldn’t finish her sentence. She couldn’t even end the thought. If something happened to William, Oliver and she wouldn’t know how to keep living their lives. She wasn’t sure if there was a way to get up in the mornings when your child wasn’t there anymore. Felicity had to shake her head so she would stop thinking like that. William was there and he was safe for now. 

William looked at her with concern in his eyes and he asked: “Are you okay, Felicity?”

“Me? I’m not the one who saved a woman from a scumbag who was going to physically assault her,” Felicity huffed.

“You know that it’s not what I mean,” William said and crossed his arms across his chest.

Felicity sighed and looked at William’s eyes which reminded her of Oliver’s eyes. William was just checking on her like they had promised to each other. It was her turn to have his back. 

“I’m not fine when I’m thinking of what could have happened. I went through a hell tonight. First, you weren’t in your room and your trackers weren’t working because you didn’t even have your phone with you. There is a murderer out there and we didn’t know where you had gone. Besides, you are the son of the Green Arrow so there are criminals who are especially interested in you,” Felicity said and she felt how her tears were starting to pool in her eyes.

Then she took a ragged breath and went on: “When you finally came back home, you tried to avoid talking about what had happened. Eventually, you told us how you had been involved in a physical fight when your opponent wasn’t even a peer of yours. He was an adult man. After that you showed your bruises and contusions which are coloring your body for a few weeks. I don’t know how to deal with this.”

Her tears were hot while they streamed down to her cheeks. She tried to wipe them off but fresh tears replaced the old ones. William came closer to her and took her hand. He squeezed it and then he escorted her to sit on the bed. William stood next to her hovering. He didn’t know how to help her or make her feel better. They were like that for a few moments as Felicity tried to calm down.

Felicity was still sobbing but she stood up and hugged William. She needed to feel his warm body against hers so she could know that he was safe. William didn’t resist although his ribs were sore after everything. They stood there holding each other and Felicity pressed a small kiss on William’s head. She wanted him to know that he was safe and loved so she kissed his wounds- physical and mental. It had become a habit of hers. 

Then there was a knock on the door and William wanted to step away but Felicity wasn’t ready to let him go. She wrapped her arms around him even tighter. William turned to look at her surprised but Felicity avoided his gaze. She couldn’t explain why she wasn’t able to let him go. It was like the first night when they had gotten Oliver back although everything had been complicated. She hadn’t been able to let Oliver go because she had had to make sure that he was actually there and safe.

Oliver slightly opened the door and saw his wife and son. He had a worried expression but he didn’t say anything. He just stepped forward and came to them. He wrapped his arms around his family and pressed them against his chest. Felicity snuggled closer to her husband and Oliver held them tighter. 

Finally, William cleared his throat and said: “I think I really need some oxygen.”

Oliver let his son and wife go but Felicity didn’t let go of Oliver’s hand. She squeezed it and Oliver pulled her closer to him again. They looked at each other and Felicity had pleading eyes. Oliver nodded and pressed a kiss on the top of her head. William watched their inaudible exchange for a while but then he turned away. He climbed into his bed.

“I hope you understand the real reason why we’re upset with you,” Oliver whispered.

“You’re upset because I wasn’t here when you came and you couldn’t find me. You’re upset because I was in a fight which wasn’t fair. You’re upset because you were worried about me,” William listed but he didn’t look at his dad.

“That’s right, William. We’re also upset with your uncle Roy and you because you haven’t told us about your training. That’s unacceptable,” Oliver stated and William’s eyes snapped back at his father’s.

“Don’t blame Roy for this, please. He only did it because I ask for it. He’s innocent,” William pleaded.

“He’s an adult and he made the decision not to tell us,” Oliver explained and there was a little anger in his tone.

Felicity tugged Oliver’s sleeve and he turned to look at her. Then he sighed and shook his head like he did when he needed to get rid of an unpleasant thought. 

“Have you already decided my punishment?” William groaned and threw his arms up in the air. Then he crossed them on his face, hiding his eyes.

“Nope, not yet,” Felicity said.

Then she continued: “What you think your punishment should be?”

Felicity could see how William was thinking of his response. After a while William cautiously suggested: “I’m going to be grounded for two months without video games, friends or phone.”

Felicity and Oliver looked at each other. William was always a bit harsh for himself and they didn’t want to isolate him from his friends. Yet, William hadn't mentioned giving up on his self-defense lessons with Roy. The training was something else because they hadn’t known about it. Felicity wasn’t sure if Oliver wanted Roy to stop training William. 

Oliver cleared his throat: “We’ll see what we come up with but I won’t promise that you can continue training.”

William removed his arms from his face and he looked like he was starting to yell. Felicity prepared herself for a fight but to her surprise there was no yelling. Instead William’s eyes were filled with tears and he wiped them furiously. It broke her heart. She wanted to go to him and hold him. Yet, she stayed rooted because she didn’t know what to say. She squeezed Oliver’s hand tighter.

She turned to look at Oliver who looked helpless. Felicity understood him. It wasn’t easy to watch your child crying. It was especially hard when you had caused the tears.

“William…” Felicity tried with her soft voice but William didn’t turn to look at her.

Then Oliver went to William and sat down on the edge of the bed. He squeezed William’s knee through the covers. Oliver sat there silently until William lifted his head and looked at his dad with his watery eyes. 

“If you are not allowed to train, it’s not a punishment. I want you to be a kid a while longer. I want you to be safe for a while longer. I want it to be controlled,” Oliver said with a steady and soft voice. 

William nodded and looked at his dad for a moment. They just sat there and looked at each other. Felicity felt like her own eyes were getting watery again. 

“I love you, buddy,” Oliver whispered.

William stared at him blankly like he was in a trans. Then he woke up and threw his arms around Oliver’s shoulders. He whispered back: “I love you too, dad.”

Felicity lifted her hand to her chest where her heart was beating. Her shuttered heart was starting to heel while she looked at the scene. Finally, Oliver stood up and pressed a kiss on William’s head. After that, Oliver came next to Felicity and took her hand in his own hand. He tugged it softly and they walked towards the door.

When they were stepping outside, Felicity heard William’s small voice: “I love you, Felicity.”

“I love you too, my sweet boy,” Felicity answered as she turned to look at him one more time. 

Then Oliver and Felicity closed William’s door and walked to their bedroom. They silently did their bedtime routines and climbed into their bed. After a while they were laying down on their backs and they stared at the ceiling. They weren’t sleeping but there was no touching, either. 

Eventually, Oliver asked in a shattered voice: “Can you hold me?”

Immediately, Felicity moved across the empty space and pressed her body against his. She wrapped her arms around him and Oliver pressed his head on her shoulder. There was no need for words but Felicity kissed his head for several times. She kissed his mental and physical wounds, like she had done with William, so he would know that everything was going to be fine. She needed him to feel safe and loved.

**Author's Note:**

> Update for tomorrow:  
> Oliver, Felicity and William are arranging a family dinner for everyone they care about. There's some tension in the air after William's heroic acts.


End file.
